Finger exerciser



Nov. 9, 1965 J, HOULE 3,216,412

FINGER EXERCISER Filed March 20, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR J. ROSAIRE HOULE ATTORNEYS Nov. 9, 1965 J, HOULE 3,216,412

FINGER EXERCISER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1963 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR JROSAIRE HOULE ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 9, 1965 .1. R. HOULE FINGER EXERCISER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March20, 1963 I I I I I I I l I L INVENTOR AIRE HOULE ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent M 3,216,412 FINGER EXERCISER J. Rosaire Houle, 412Rue Madeleine, Saint-Jerome, Quebec, Canada I Filed Mar. 20, 1963, Ser.No. 266,572 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-26) The present invention relates to afinger exerciser and more particularly to a finger-exerciser which wouldbe portable and usable anywhere, being powered with either AC. or DC.electric current. p I

This finger-exerciser could be used withequal benefit by musicians, bypeople suffering from rheumatism or arthritis, by people whose handshave been injuredand need strengthening or by people afflicted withparalysis.

The general object of the present invention is to allow the user to takeadvantage of the machine without disturbing anyone else in the sameroom, and without physical effort on his part. For instance, the pianistinstead of going up and down the scale endlessly for hours withaccompanying discordant sounds, would only have to put both his hands inthe machine to have it work his fingers in exactly the same way as theywould on the piano keys. In much the same way, a surgeon would beenabled to keep his fingers nimble.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of afinger-exerciser of the character described, which is very simple andinexpensive to manufacture.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of afinger-exerciser of the character described in which all the componentparts may be easily taken apart for cleaning, repairs and the like.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of afinger-exerciser of the character described which may be used in anyposition with respect to the vertical, without impairing itsfunctioning.

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention areachieved by forming a finger exerciser in which a plurality of spacedfinger cups are mounted above the top wall of a casing. The finger cupsare supported on rods which extend through the top wall of the casing,with the rods subject to rotation about their axes, and axial shifting.Within the casing, a plurality of cam members are mounted on a driveshaft so that rotation of the drive shaft rotates the cam members toimpart vertical reciprocation to the rods supporting the finger cups. Asa result of this vertical reciprocation of the rods, the fingers of auser inserted in the cups are exercised. Since the rods are subject torotation, the spacing between the finger cups is adjustable toaccommodate different finger spacings on the hands of different users. Apalm rest is adjustably mounted above the top wall of the casing onwhich the user rests the palms of his hands while inserting his fingersinto the finger cups.

An important feature of the invention resides in the mounting of thefinger cups for rotation about the axes of their support rods to permitselective adjustment of the spacings between the finger cups, therebyaccommodating the exerciser to use by individuals having differentfinger spacings.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the mounting ofthe drive shaft in the casing for axial shifting of the drive shaft, thedrive shaft being provided with a plurality of sets of cams, wherebydifferent sets of cams may be brought into alignment with the finger cupsupporting rods to provide different actuation for the finger cups, anddifferent types of finger exercises.

The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the invention, andtheir mode of functioning will be made most manifest and particularlypointed out in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

3,216,412 Patented Nov. 9, 19 65 FIG. 1 is a transverse cross sectiontaken through a finger exerciser made in accordance with the teachingsof this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section, with parts broken away, showingthe interrelationship between the drive shaft and the finger cupsupporting rods; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan View, with parts broken away of the fingerexerciser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 7

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like referencecharacters indicate like elements throughout, the finger-exerciser,according to the invention, comprises a box like casing 1 which ispreferably dimensioned to be about fourteen and a half inches long,seven inches wide and seven inches high. In the illustrated embodiment,ten finger cups 2 are supported at a slight distance above the top wallof the casing. Two palm rests 3 are also arrangedabove the top wall ofthe casing preferably on a level with the finger cups, as best seen inFIG. 1. The palm rest is mounted on a supporting post '4 which permitsthe palm rest to be raised or lowered with respect to the top wall ofthe casing. This height adjustment is effected by means of threaded end5 at the lower end of post 4. The threaded end 5 engages internallythreaded nut 6 which is secured to platform 7 of the casing 1. Platform7 is mounted in casing 1 by means of screws 8 which pass throughdownturned flanges on the edges of platform 7 into the side walls of thecasing 1, as best seen in FIG. 1.

The finger cups 2 dimensioned to accommodate the fingers of a user ofthe apparatus, are mounted by means of a fastening member such as screw9 on a cantilever arm 10 which is mounted for rotation on rod 11. Rod11- is rotatably and slidably supported with respect to casing 1 bymeans of plunger 12, which as seen in FIG. 1 has a smaller diameter thanrod 11 so that the lower end of rod 11 adjacent its point of securementto plunger 12 forms a shoulder with respect to the plunger 12. Theplunger 12 is surrounded by a coil Spring 13, the upper end of whichbears against the shoulder formed by the lower end of rod 11.

Rod 11, plunger 12, and spring 13 are slidably and rotatably encased insleeve 14 which is supported between the top wall of casing 1 andplatform 7, as seen in FIG. 1. Sleeve 14 is formed with an inturnedlower annular flange against which the lower end of spring 13 bears tobias rod 11 upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1.

At the lower end of plunger 12 is a cam follower 15 dimensioned to moveagainst the ca'mming surfaces of cams 16, as the cam 16 is rotated.

As can be seen from the drawings, the weight of the users fingers in thefinger cups 2 is employed to exert a compressive force on spring 13bringing the plunger 12, and its associated cam follower 15 down againstthe cams 16. When finger pressure is released from the finger cups 2,spring 13 biases the plunger upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1, so as tobring the cam follower 15 to a position out of contact with the cam 16,thereby minimizing wear on the cam and cam follower when the finger cupis not being used. Additionally, the requirement that the user exertpressure on the finger cup in order to obtain desired reciprocatoryaction, implements the attainment of desired exercise functions.

A first set of ten eccentric cams 16 are secured to drive shaft 17, asbest seen in FIG. 2. A second set of cams may also be arranged on thedrive shaft 17. The drive shaft 17 is mounted for axial shifting incasing 1. Knob 17A is arranged on the exterior side wall of the casing1, and is coupled to the drive shaft 17 to permit manual shiftingthereof. As a result of this axial shifting, different sets of cams 16may be brought into operative alignment with respect to the camfollowers 15 so as to provide different cycles of actuation for thefinger cups, thus permitting selective variation of the exercises whichmay be obtained from the apparatus.

The drive shaft 17, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention issupported for rotation and axial shifting by means of three bearingsupports 18, and the shaft 17 rotates on ball bearings 19. Bearingsupports 18 are secured by means of fastening members such as bolt 20 toplate 21 which is secured to the casing 1.

Rotation of the drive shaft is accomplished by means of electric motor22. A horsepower A.C.-D.C. mo-

.tor is found satisfactory to obtain desired results. On the drive shaftof motor 22 is a drive gear 23 meshing with an intermediate gear 24,mounted to rotate with gear 25 which in turn drives driven gear 26mounted on drive shaft 17. The intermediate gears 24 and 25 are mountedfor rotation on shaft 27 which is supported by bearing supports 28 inball bearings 29.

A rheostat, preferably foot operated, is arranged in the electricalcircuit to the motor to control the speed thereof.

The motor 22 is supported in the casing by means of plate 31, contouredas illustrated in FIG. 1, and secured to the casing by means offastening members 32.

When not in use the machine can be closed and covered by a cover 33.

The cups 2 may be easily adjusted to the users fingers size and can bereadily replaced by screwing them on the screw 9. Adjustment of tehspacing between finger cups 2 is accomplished by moving the cups todesired position by pivoting rod 11 in sleeve 14.

The coil spring 13 can be made to be of the strength required by theuser.

The cams 16 can be shaped to the dimension required by the user and thetwo movements above described by means of the knob on the shaft 17 canalso be made according to the users specifications.

Provision can also be made to insert dry cell batteries in the casing inorder to use the motor 22 with D.C.

current. 1

While a preferred embodiment according to the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it is understood that various modificationsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed, are defined as follows:

1. A finger exerciser comprising: a casing; a drive shaft rotatablypositioned in said casing; a set of a plurality of spaced cam members onsaid drive shaft; a plurality of cam followers positioned in said casingfor contact by selective ones of said cam members; a plurality of rodsone rod coupled to each one of said cam followers, said rods rotatableabout their axes and slidable therealong; and a finger cup mounted oneach of said rods, the axis of said finger cup being offset from theaxis of said rod, whereby the spacing between said finger cups may beselectively varied by rotating said rods.

2. A finger exerciser as in claim 1 in which spring means are positionedin said casing with a portion of said spring means contacting said rodsto normally bias same to a position remote from said cam members when afinger is not inserted in said cups.

3. A finger exerciser as in claim 1 in which said drive shaft is axiallyshiftable in said casing; a control knob positioned externally of saidcasing and connected to said shaft to permit axial shifting of saidshaft; and a second set of cam members on said shaft which may beselectively brought into alignment with said cam followers when saidshaft is shifted.

4. A finger exerciser as in claim 1 in which a post is positioned onsaid casing, said post having a threaded end at its lower end; a nut onsaid casing engaging said threaded end of said post, and a palm rest atthe upper end of said post, whereby the height of said palm rest withrespect to said finger cups may be adjusted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,742 1/19Hermansen 12826 1,423,033 7/22 Marcel 128-26 2,438,820 3/48 Obuchowski12826 FOREIGN PATENTS 66,162 12/92 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

1. A FINGER EXERCISE COMPRISING: A CASING; A DRIVE SHAFT ROTATABLYPOSITIONED IN SAID CASING; A SET OF A PLURALITY OF SPACED CAM MEMBERS ONSAID DRIVE SHAFT; A PLURALITY OF CAM FOLLOWERS POSITIONED IN SAID CASINGFOR CONTACT BY SELECTIVE ONES OF SAID CAM MEMBERS; A PLURALITY OF RODSONE ROD COUPLED TO EACH ONE OF SAID CAM FOLLOWERS, SAID RODS ROTATABLEABOUT THEIR AXES AND SLIDABLE THEREALONG; AND A FINGER CUP MOUNTED ONEACH OF SAID RODS, THE AXIS OF SAID FINGER CUP BEING OFFSET FROM THEAXIS OF SAID ROD, WHEREBY THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID FINGER CUPS MAY BESELECTIVELY VARIED BY ROTATING SAID RODS.